NHS patients across the country have been withholding information from their doctors and putting off treatment due to fears over confidentiality and data breaches, new research has indicated.
The NHS has one of the highest rates of breaking UK data laws, with regular data breaches reported by the Information Commissioner’s Office and millions of patients records lost or mishandled during 2011 alone.
Now, a survey of just over 1,000 patients has shown that well over half would withhold information from clinicians and nearly 40 per cent would put off seeking treatment if a hospital had a poor reputation for security.
Read more on Public Service. The survey was conducted by a firm that has a stake in selling privacy auditing services, so some may be understandably skeptical of the findings and interpretation, but the data are certainly worth thinking about.